Breech-loading small-arms



(NE Model.)

A. H. HEBBARD, BREEGH LOADING SMALL ARMS.

NrTED STATES PATENT Frrcn.

ALBERT H. HEBBARD, on CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BREECH-LOADING SMALL-ARMS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 247,056, dated September 13, 1881.

Application filed January 10, 1881'. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT H. HEBBARD, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Breech-LoadingGuns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of breechloading guns which have abreech-block moving at right angles to the bore; and the invention consists of a vertically sliding breechblock operated by an arm attached to a rockshaft, which, in turn, is moved byathumb-lcver at the side of the receiver or frame, the rockshaft having an angular projection bearing against a spring in such a manner that the breech-block, after being inoved a certain distance, is thrown automatically the rest of the distance, and is held either open or closed, as the case may be.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line a: as, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a leogitudinal vertical section on line y f], Fig. 1.

To construct a gun on this plan I make the receiver A with a vertical mortise or opening in its general form like that of the well-known Sharps riflc,the barrel being screwed into the front end of the receiver, in the usual manner.

The breech-block B consists of a solid piece of metal of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it being provided on its sides with rectangular projecting or ribs (1, which slide in vertical grooves of corresponding shupcand size made on. tfic inner faces of the checks or sides of the rccc1\'1?i',as shown in Fig. 1, (or, if desired, the ribs may be upon the receiver and the grooves on the lll'UiQll-illOCli, and lhc same effect he produced.) A car its lower end, andon its front face, this hrccclrblock B has a recess or groove, 0, cut in it, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which engages the Hill of an arm, R, which is rigidly attached tonv tiansvcrserockshaft, U, mounted in the receiver near its front lower corner, as

shmvn, with one end extcndingthrough the rcceircion the right-hand side, and to which pro jccting end is secured a thumhlever, L, as

shown in Fig. 1.

The body of the arm R, where it surrounds the shaft 6, is made of the form shown in Fig. 3, or substantially so, by which there is left an i hummer."

angular lip on projection l, on its upper side, and which lip or projection bears against a spring, 1), as shown in Fig. 3. On each side of this lip lthe piece is flattened, so that when the arm B is moved by the leverLthe lip first compresses the spring; but after it has passed the center the spring operates to throw it, and with it the breech-block B, after which the spring, pressing on the flat face at either side of the lip 1, holds the parts stationary, thereby holding the breech-block either up or do n, according as the spring bears on one or the other of the flatfaces on the opposite sides of the lip l. A modification would'- be to provide aslot in the arm R, by which means it would engage a horizontal pin which could extend across the bottom ofthebreech-block.

An extractor, which, however, I do not claim as new, is shown, consisting of alever, f, Fig. 2, pivoted at its lower end on a pin, T, and having its upper end fitted into a suitably-formed recess, so as to bring its lip in the proper position to engage under the flange of the shell whenin the chamberot the arm. This extractor is operated by an arm or projection, n, which may be formed on the body of said arm, so as to move with it. In practiceit willbe made solid with the arm R, and as part of it, the whole being forged in a single piece, and then finished up in the usual manner.

In order tolimit the movementof the breechblock B, a vertical groove, 1), is cut in one side, as shown in Fig. 2, and a screw, 0, is inserted through the side of the receiver in such a position that its inner end will enter the slot 1), and thus serve as a stop to limit the movement of the block.

As shown in Fig. 3, the arm R and the breech block 13 may he so proportioned and arranged that when the latter is elevated the end of the arm will just hear againstthe block sufficiently to prevent the latter from dropping down, and when the parts are in that position it is only necessary to turn back the screw 0 far enough to withdraw its inner end from the slot b, when the breech-blockcan he atonce removed,there being a small notch in its rear face for the thumb nail to engage in to lift it out, or by turning the arm over it will drop out.

The hammer II 'is located centrally in the frame, directly in rear of the breech-block, as

.shown in the drawings; and in order that it may be sufiiciently low to permit the cartridge to be inserted and extracted over the top of it, I so construct and arrange this hammer that although its head, when swung forward, will he so high as to be inihe way of the cartridge or shell, when drawn back it will occupya lower position, out of the way of the shell, and enable the gun to be cleaned from the rear.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the hammer II is pivoted upon a pin or journal, I, in such a position that when the nose of the hami'n'er strikes the firing-pin the face of the nose will stand in a vertical line parallel with the rear face of the breech-block B, at which time the top of the hammer will be in its most elevated position.

The 'mai'nspring G has' its front or freeend arranged to bear in the recess V, out in the back of the hammer, for the purpose of transmitting power to the hammer in order tocxplode the shell.

The upper front edge oi the breech-block is slightly beveled, so that in case the cartridge should not be fully in its seat the breech-block as it is closed will force it in, and thus prevent the obstruction to the closing of the breech that would otherwise occur.

' The lever L, for operating the breech mechanism as described,may be, if desired, located on the under side of the receiver by connecting it to the body of the arm It and extending itthrou'gh a suitable opening made in the bottom of the receiver, instead of locating it at the side.

Havingthus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' The combination of the sliding breech-block B, provided with the recess 0 and slot 1), with serew c, rock-shaft C, and arm It, provided with the shoulder or lip I, spring 1). and side lever,

L; all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown and. described.

ALBERT H. naeeanu. Witnesses:

' HENRY \V. Wnmmus, Gnoneu V. M ALLON. 

